California Wildfires Update: Hillside Fire Erupts Near San Bernardino, Mandatory Evacuations Ordered

The 12th fire this month broke out in northern California Thursday, quickly gobbling nearly 200 acres in the first hour despite a quick response by firefighters.

The blaze broke out nearWaterman Canyon in the northern end of San Bernardino County around 1:30 a.m. and was tagged as the Hillside Fire.

Four nearby houses were ignited shortly after the fire started. No injuries were reported. Despite efforts by firefighters the fire spread and damaged a number of buildings in the surrounding area.

Officials haven’t revealed how many buildings have been damaged as a result of the fire.

Strong winds in the area have also made containing the fire difficult. The National Weather Service issued an “extreme red flag warning” Wednesday, warning strong winds across the state could cause the fires to spread. The San Bernardino area was facing 20 to 30 mph winds with gusts reaching 60 mph.

Mandatory evacuations have been ordered for the much of San Bernardino, with an evacuation center setup at Pacific High School. Local officials have asked for the closure of Highway 18 heading toward the local mountains to allow firefighters to continue trying to push back the fire unimpeded.